Joseph Smith/Polygamy/Plural wives/Eliza R. Snow/Emma pushing Eliza down the stairs

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The rumor that Emma Smith pushed Eliza Snow down the stairs, resulting in a miscarriage

Question: Was a pregnant Eliza R. Snow pushed down the stairs by a furious Emma, resulting in a miscarriage?

Jump to details:

• Question: Was a pregnant Eliza R. Snow pushed down the stairs by a furious Emma, resulting in a miscarriage?
• The historical and logistical problems with this story make it unlikely to be true
• The statement that Eliza carried Joseph’s unborn child and lost it due to an attack by Emma is brought into question by Eliza’s own journal
• RLDS perspective
• Question: If the story of Emma pushing Eliza Snow down the stairs is true, why did Eliza not make use of it?

Question: Was a pregnant Eliza R. Snow pushed down the stairs by a furious Emma, resulting in a miscarriage?

Jump to details:

• Question: Was a pregnant Eliza R. Snow pushed down the stairs by a furious Emma, resulting in a miscarriage?
• The historical and logistical problems with this story make it unlikely to be true
• The statement that Eliza carried Joseph’s unborn child and lost it due to an attack by Emma is brought into question by Eliza’s own journal
• RLDS perspective
• Question: If the story of Emma pushing Eliza Snow down the stairs is true, why did Eliza not make use of it?

See also Brian Hales' discussion

Emma's path through plural marriage	Sometime in 1840 Joseph Smith first broached the topic of plural marriage privately to trusted friends. Most of the apostles were in England and thus were unavailable for an introduction to the practice.
Emma and Fanny Alger	Joseph's first foray into plural marriage was deeply painful for Emma, his first wife.
When did Emma learn?	It is impossible to definitively determine when Emma learned of Joseph’s plural marriages. However, many historical clues help to create a possible timeline.
Emma Accepts Plural Marriage and Participates in Four of Joseph’s Plural Sealings	The earliest documentable date for Emma’s awareness of time-and-eternity plural marriage is May of 1843, when she participated in four of her husband’s polygamous sealings.
Emma’s Resistance Prompts recording of D&C 132	Emma’s resistance to plural marriage prompted Hyrum to encourage Joseph to dictate a written revelation on the subject.
Joseph and Emma: Conflict and Agreement	Rather than generating Emma’s active support, the revelation [D&C 132] appears to have brought a smoldering crisis to flame. She and Joseph took serious counsel together with some sort of agreement being negotiated.

To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, click here

Notes

Further reading and additional sources responding to these claims